Fastening device



8 5, 1941- a. A. TINNERMAN 2,251,643

7 FASTENING DEVICE Original Filed. Jan. 7, 1937 INVENTOR. $602615 A.77/VIVE2/1A/V Patented Aug. 5, 1941 FASTENING DEVICE Cleveland, Ohio,assignor George A. Tinnerman,

to Tinnerman Products, Inc.,

a corporation of Ohio 7 Original application January '1, 1937, SerialNo.

119,415, now Patent No.

Divided and this application vember 19, 1940.

Cleveland, Ohio,

2,222,449, dated No- May 6, 1940, Serial No. 333,579

3 Claims. (01. 85-36) of the threaded member ii. To facilitate this,

This invention relates to fastening devices designed to be used with abolt or a screw fastening for connecting two parts together, and relatesmore particularly to such fastening devices as are adapted for use inthose locations where only one side of a part to be joined is accessibleformaking a connection. The present application is a division of myco-pending application, Serial No. 119,415, filed January '7, 1937, nowPatent No. 2,222,449, dated November 19,1940.

One of the uses to which the present form of fastening device may beapplied is in the assembly of an automobile body where the fender isattached and where provision must therefore be made to prevent theentrance of water from the exterior of the car through the bolt opening,or through any opening which is utilized for locating the fastener inbolt receiving position. Similar conditions exist in the assembly of arefrigerator cabinet where it is essential that the insulation carrying,compartment be sealed against the entrance of moisture and also inrailway cars, airplanes, steel tanks, furnaces and associated types ofproducts.

An object of the present invention is to make a fastener which may beinserted in a bolt receiving aperture from one side of the part to bejoined and which will remain automatically in bolt receiving position.Additionally, the invention contemplates a construction which will sealthe opening against the walls of which the fastener is positioned by asnapfastening action.

The invention is shown in various forms in the.

drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an article which isadapted to receive the fastener; Fig. 2 is a vertical section takenthrough a plurality of parts that are joined together by means of afastener embodying the present invention; Fig. 3 is aside view of thefastener shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 ,is-a section through a part to bejoined having a modified form of thread engaging construction, and Fig.5 is a section'through a part to be joined having a fastener thereonembodying a further modified form of construction.

The fastener which is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 has a sheet metalbody portion III which has an aperture engaging portion 12 and isprovided with means for attaching it to an opening l3 in a support ll.In the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the thread engaging portion forreceiving a member, such as a bolt l5, includes an arm it which extendsupwardly and backwardly upon itself and which cooperates with the threadengaging portion l2 to engage a multiple turn on the shank the arm 16 isshown as terminating in a notch l1, the walls of which are shaped on ahelix to conform to that of the thread on the member IS.

The means for attaching the fastener to a support comprises cooperatingattaching elements 20 and, 2|, which. extend downwardly at spaced pointsfrom the thread-engaging body portion.

ll therein and which carries a thread The attaching element 21 is shownin the form of a tongue which is struck downwardly from the body portionand which cooperates with the body to form a crotch into which the partIt may extend. The downwardly extending portion of the tongue thusdefines a shoulder which is adapted to bear against a wall 22 of theopen ing 13. The attaching element 20 likewise defines a shoulder whichis adapted to engage the opposite wall 23 of the opening l3, and tocooperate withthe part 2| to lock the fastener in fastening position.

To attach the fastener to a support, the leading end of the tongue 2| ispressed downwardly through the opening l3 until it engages the support14 on the side Opp site the fastener and then the fastener is slid alongthe support until the shouldered portion 20 clears the wall 23 of theopening I 3. The distance between the shoulders on the parts 20 and 2|is so related to the distance between the walls 22 and 23 of the openingl3 that the fastener is locked into place by a snap-fastening action. Byutilizing a fastener body of suflicient width to cover the opening l3,the opening is thereby sealed whenever the fastener is locked inbolt-receiving position. Moreover, by extending the tongue in generallyparallel spaced relationship to the body portion, the fastener may beadequately locked with sufllcient rigidity to permit turning of thethreaded member into the fastener by means of a power operated toolwithout binding against the walls of the opening 9 and withoutdislodging the fastener from its locked position on the article.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I have shown modified forms of thread engagingconstruction, the construction in Fig. 4 having provision for engagingonly one turn of a bolt thread. In Fig. 5, however, provision is madefor multiple thread engagement, by means of a standard nut 25; In thisform, a square nut is shown and is held in position by lugs 30 whichextend upwardly from the body of the fastener on two of its oppositesides, while lugs 3| extend upwardly from the body of the fastener andengage the nut on the two remaining sides. In the preferred arrangement,the lugs 30 are longer than the depth of the nut,

is used in those locations where the assembly opening must be sealed,the closure or sealing is efiected automatically by the application ofthe fastener to the part to be joined.

I claim:

1. A fastener comprising an apertured sheet metal body having a threadengaging portion and means for attaching the fastener in an opening in asupport, said attaching means comprising two cooperating attachingelements both extending downwardly at spaced points from said threadengaging body portion, one of said attaching elements being adapted toextend through said opening in the support and engage said support onthe side opposite to that on which said thread engaging body portion isdisposed in fastening position, the other attaching element beingadapted to cooperate in looking the fastener in such fastening position,and comprising a detent extending entirely across the body and adjacentone of the ends thereof.

2. A fastener comprising an apertured sheet metal body having a threadengaging portion'and means for attaching the fastener in an opening in asupport, said attaching means comprising two cooperating attachingelements both extending downwardly at spaced points from said threadengaging body portion, said attaching elements defining spaced shouldershaving a spacing corresponding substantially to the space betweenopposite walls of said opening, one of saidattaching elements beingadapted to extend through said opening in the support and including asubstantial tongue extending in generally parallel and spaced relationto the fastener body, said tongue being adapted to engage said supporton the side opposite to that on which said thread engaging body portionis disposed in fastening position, and the shoulder defined by the otherattaching element being adapted to engage a wall of said opening tocooperate with said tongue in locking the fastener in such fasteningposition, said last named shoulder extending entirely across the bodyadjacent one of the ends thereof.

3. A fastener comprising an apertured sheet metal body having a threadengaging portion, and having means for attaching the fastener in anopening in a support, said thread engaging portion including an arm thatextends upwardly and backwardly in spaced relation to the body f thefastener so as to provide multiple turn engagement with a threadedmember that is passed through the fastener body, said attaching meanscomprising two cooperating attaching elements both extending downwardlyat spaced points from said thread engaging body portion, one of saidattaching elements being adapted to extend through said opening in thesupport and to engage said support on the side opposite to that on whichsaid thread engaging body portion is disposed in fastening position, theother attaching element being adapted to cooperate in looking thefastener in such fastening position, said last named element comprisinga detent extending entirely across the body and adjacent one of the endsthereof.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN.

